


I'm nobody compared to you

by Just_morefandomtrash



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Actor AU, Angst, Florist AU, Happy Family, M/M, Normality vs Extravagance, What even are gender roles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-22
Updated: 2017-09-22
Packaged: 2019-01-04 04:23:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12161454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_morefandomtrash/pseuds/Just_morefandomtrash
Summary: Escaping extravagance and finding peace in simplicity.





	I'm nobody compared to you

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted on the YOI Amino for a challenge a little while back where the task was to design a new AU

**Normality vs Extravegancy AU**

In this universe, Victor enjoys the simple pleasures of life. The bustle of the streets outside of the shop, the quiet jazz permeating the air, the chatter of the occasional customer during the morning and the rush of the afternoon. He enjoys the visits from his grumpy cousin on his way back from his skating lessons, and the visits from his dramatic half-brother after yet another breakup. He enjoys his routine of creating bouquets, displays and organising the flowers in enchanting ways. Victor loved his life.

In this universe, Yuuri despises the attention he gets. The constant flashing of paparazzi cameras, the invasive questions, the yells and screams of the rabid fans. He wants nothing more than to flee, to throw away the life of fame and fortune for his sanity. He wants nothing more than find a quiet place he can settle and live his life. He wants nothing more than to be free. He enjoys the company of his true friends admittedly, but the life of an actor leaves little time for simple pleasures.

Yuuri needs a break.

And Victor is all that he's looking for.

°°°°°

_Victor Nikiforov_

Victor, at 28 years old, is enjoying life. He owns a floristry, a small one admittedly, but it's his and that's what matters. His apartment only has room for him and his dog, a guest on the sofa, and the (many) houseplants he owns. It's a quiet life, the one he leads, yet he wouldn't change it. The gentle pastels he wears create an image of a shy, sensible person who'd wrap you up in blankets, make you tea and listen to all you troubles before giving you the best advice you'd ever heard. Flowers are a central part of his life, to the point where he'll willingly give anyone who asks a lesson in flower meanings for free. Most people who knew of his shop's existence picked it over any of florists in the area because of his friendly nature and willingness to share his knowledge. With a smile and a wink, he'll charm you into buying the best flowers around, even if they weren't what you were originally after. Nobody really minds, because truthfully, Victor knew better than they did anyway. What came as a surprise to many was Victor's tattoos and piercings. Usually, he preferred long-sleeved t-shirts and jumpers, so few customers saw the trail of flowers wrapping around his arms, nor the earings carefully covered by his shoulder-length hair. Sometimes, people would ask him why he didn't dye his hair, why he didn't dye his hair a 'natural' colour. When they pestered him about it, he'd dye the tips of his hair a different colour to shut them up. He was considering dying it more regularly, that could be fun. But Victor wasn't one to step out of his comfort zone.

_Katsuki Yuuri_

At 24, he's pretty much completed his life goals. He has good friends, a career that's expected to last well into his sixties, perhaps longer. He has it all in the eyes of the media, and there is the problem. The media is constantly hovering over him, hoping for a glance into 'the life of such a prestigious actor', when outside of work all he does is hide away from the paparazzi. With his dark, 'mysterious' eyes, people want to get to know him, the person away from the camera. What do you do when there is no one else, when you are consumed by your job and you fail to find happiness? You run, if you can. Or you lash out. Except that doesn't work anymore. Sweeping his hair back and donning a leather jacket, people come flocking, rather than fleeing in fear. Every move he makes is watched, every move analyzed and at the heart of it all, every move is calculated to create an image that the public wants to see. It's stifling, dangerous even for someone at their prime. At home, it's too loud. His footsteps echo too much, the phone too insistent and shrill, the apartment empty of anyone but himself. He doesn't have too much, just the basics. Minimalistic. Unlived in. He hated it, the lack of emotion, the congratulations for something he knows wasn't good enough for him but nobody seems to notice. "I'm an actor" he tells himself. "People will never know the real you because its consumed you and you are nothing but a character. The world is a stage, and you aren't the only one acting." So, he continues, looking for his escape whilst playing his part.

_Georgi Popovich_

Victor's half-brother and a hopeless romantic who can't see why his relationships are failing. He falls for people hard, and it physically tears him apart everytime he breaks up with someone. Although he has no interest in flowers, he encourages Victor's business, and forces him to take breaks. When he's not showering his latest girlfriend with attention, he mostly finds himself in one of three places: the ice rink, Victor's shop or his house watching the newest top releases. He prefers real-life over romantic films, or so he claims. Victor and Yuri often point out the fact that he has an entire shelf dedicated to romance films, much to his embarrassment. At 27, he doesn't quite know where he's going in life and is perfectly content to do odd jobs alongside his job as an editor for a small newspaper. It pays well enough for him, and the extra money is simply a bonus.

_Yuri Plisetsky_

15 years old and already quite a prominent figure in the local community, known for his skating style that practically screams agape, despite his attitude off the ice. As much as he claims to hate his cousins, if he's not at the rink or with his friends, chances are he'll be with them rather than staying with his coaches. He knows that when he finally decides to come out, there'll be no issues from either of his cousins, but for the sake of his career in skating he's keeping it to himself. However, with a confession from a fellow skater, he feels like he should throw caution to the wind and come out to his family alone, or at least what's left of it.

_Kenjirou Minami_

Yuri's fellow skater and a huge fan of Katsuki Yuuri. Unlike most fans however, he respects that Yuuri wants to keep parts of his life private. He's become very good at reading people's emotions, and with his confession accepted by Yuri he can finally say that he's one of the few people to see the true Yuri, underneath all the anger and pain. Understanding that Yuri is uncertain to come out, he's willing to wait until he's ready to start any form of relationship other than friendship.

_Phichit Chulanont, Guang-Hong Ji and Leo de la Iglesia_

Yuuri's fellow actors and close friends. All are worried that he's going to disappear one day without warning and throw the world into chaos.

°°°°°

When Victor came into his life, he was little more than a hurricane of leather and pain. He was a well-renowned actor with years left ahead of him, a career many strived after, and yet he had so little in terms of his personal life. True, he had friends in the industry who cared for his well being, the three of them his closest confidants.

Yet nobody treated him the way Victor did.

The months before he found himself at Victor's shop were dark, each day monotonous. The life of an actor is described as glamorous and desirable, yet it is far from it for some. There are times where the roles threaten to crush you, consume you, tear you down and never let you rebuild yourself.

Victor was pastel and bright, with floral tattoos winding around his arms and one designed by his cousin and half brother on his hip. He dyed the tips of his hair when customers told him he should dye his hair a 'natural' colour. But never the whole lot, sort of a middle finger to those who thought they could boss him around. Victor didn't care about gender roles, often wearing crop tops and skirts to annoy the more more conservative of his customers.

Yuuri found it adorable.

Victor's family, however small it was, accepted him with little protest, Georgi inviting him to movie nights and Yuri begrudgingly taking him skating, much to the delight of his friend Minami (friend? Boyfriend? He wasn't sure, but whatever their relationship was he craved it, craved it like a drug. Oh god, he was hooked without ever tasting it for himself.) There was no mention of status with them.  
They treated him like he was human.

_Oh._

Even Minami, a super fan of his, treated him like he was human and was prepared to fight anyone who got too close.

_Oh._

Even Georgi, a huge fan of his work, treated him like he was human and valued his opinion on life as much as his cousin and brother's.

_Oh._

Even Yuri, who admired him for his determination, treated him like he was human and acted as though he was another cousin.

_Oh._

Even Victor, who was so gung-ho about everything, treated him like he was human and took the time to make him feel like himself, not a character on the silver screen.

_Oh._

It was him putting himself up on the pedestal, him and the media and those rabid fans. Not these people, the small family and the close friends of his. They wanted him to be...

_Him._

Not to play a role, not to pander to their desires and will, not to choose a persona and display it.

They wanted honesty, the flaws, the stupid, stupid mistakes.

The little floristry had become his safe haven away from the world of media and fame. Dare he say that it'd become... Home? The nights spent sleeping on Victor's sofa because he'd be damned if he was getting a taxi home or calling a chauffeur and ruining the peace he'd found had been some of the best. Victor's cheerful smile as he woke him up with coffee and something homemade, always homemade, the same smile that sent him home with a new bouquet designed specifically with him in mind to 'brighten up the place and to remind you of me'.

God he had it bad didn't he?

'Lavender, purple and white lilac and common marigolds' had been the last combination.

'Quit with the sappy abstract stuff already Victor' was Yuri's input followed by rapid Russian, accompanied by desperate hand gestures and a blush that could rival the rich red of the roses by the counter.

It has been his favourite combination yet.

Although he was an actor, he knew the language of flowers well, what with Victor's enthusiastic lessons.

_Devotion, purity, first emotion of love and affection._

"Phichit... I have it so bad. So, goddam bad. Worse than Guang-Hong and Leo, but less blind. At least I think I'm interpreting this right. What if I'm not though, what if I've got this all wrong? Don't fight over the phone you three, just put it on speaker! Yes, I meant what I said about you and Leo, you two need to stop dancing around each other. But enough about that, more about my abismal love life a- It is! I don't know how I'm going to do this... You know what, you three are absolutely useless. I'll do it myself and we'll see that it works out fine without your help."

He chucked his phone across the sofa, ignoring the incoming calls and grabbing a pillow instead.

It was nowhere near as good as Victor's hugs.

He missed Victor and oh god he had a sudden desire to call him, to run to his apartment (in his pyjamas none the less but he was a spontaneous sort of person when there was no one around to reign him in) and just grab him and pull him close and just cry and cry in the arms of someone who cares about him.

"Oh god... I love him. I love him so damn much and yet I'm so scared. So, so scared. The media will tear him and his family and his happy, carefree lifestyle to pieces."

A tear drips onto his hand, startling him. The emotion is so raw that for a moment he is terrified before remembering that this is normal. It is normal to cry over something that confuses you. It is normal to show emotion, your emotions, not some characters'.

Patting his sofa, he snatched his phone up and cradled it in his hands, as if it was his only lifeline.

In some, twisted way, it was.

"Victor? Help please Victor it feels like I'm drowing in my own insecurities and emotions right now, I need someone please! I... I think so oh god what if I d- I did? R-really? You're coming over? It's fine I promise! I can handle it, I've done it before. What do you mean you won't let me go through it alone again? Victor, seriously I've handled it most of my life. I promise you I'm fine now, go back to bed. I'm sorry for waking you up."

For the second time that night he hung up and threw his phone across the sofa, the pillow he'd abandoned back in his arms and pulled tight to his chest.

It still wasn't enough, it was never enough was it?

He was selfish and he knew he was.

He wanted Victor and his little family to himself, Minami included because at this point he was also pretty much family.

They all were, whether they were related by blood or not.

"Yuuri? I've found your spare key, I'm coming in."

The rattle of the keys and the creak of his doors startled him, bolting upright at the intrusion. Quiet footsteps padded down the hall and he rapidly dabbed at his eyes, drying the tears that had fallen.

"Hey Yuuri."

Before him stood Victor in all his pastel glory, hair pulled back into a ponytail and his crop top showing off his hips, the right adorned by his favourite tattoo as he'd once claimed. With those warm, caring eyes and the always welcoming arms open for a hug.

The pillow was gone and he'd launched himself into Victor's arms before he knew it.

Victor was warm, soft like a teddy bear.  
Victor was free like a bird.  
 _Victor was home._

"I'm home am I Yuuri?" With a chuckle, he placed him onto the bed, laying down next to him and wrapping him back in his embrace.

"To be someone's home," he mused, "is an interesting concept. Do I remind you of home, or have I become the place you want to call home?"

The questions were never mocking from Victor.

"You are my home Victor." Even though he'd whispered his reply, the words still echoed through the empty apartment, reminding him of how little he had here, much like his attachment to the place.

"Then... Maybe we could make a home together? Us two, Georgi, Yuri and Minami... Of course your friends can be part of it as we'll if you want t-"

"Is this your roundabout way of asking me out?"

"Ah... You caught me."

Pulling him closer, he buried his head into Victor's chest and whispered the words he'd longed to say for months.

"Yes Victor. Yes, I'll be your boyfriend."

It was a relief when Victor giggled and pulled him closer, impossibly closer, pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"You missed..." He whined, tilting his head up to meet Victor's eyes, those seemingly never ending eyes.

"I suppose I did, didn't I?"

Then Victor was running his thumb over his lips, oh so gently, gazing at him with complete adoration.

Oh.

Lips brushed against his, impossibly soft, fleeting and he found himself chasing after them.

It was addictive and maybe he had a reason to be hooked on every aspect of Victor's being.

He definitely had a reason now, as Victor's lips crashed against his, needing, wanting, desiring more, everything that Yuuri was willing to offer.

Yuuri was wiling to give Victor his everything.

His years of acting.  
His devotion.  
 _Himself._

As Victor pulls away, oh so slightly, he craves the touch of his lips again. Breathing however, is an unfortunate necessity, and so he concedes to resting their foreheads together, panting slightly. He revels in the delicate blush dusting Victor's cheeks, barely covering the band of freckles that appeared in the summer months.  
If this was love, any form of love (Anteros? Agape? He wasn't sure), he never wanted to let go.

"Good morning!" Victor chirps a greeting to his brother and cousin, Minami poking his head out of the backroom to wave. The click of Victor's heels does not go unnoticed, if the approving look from Georgi meant anything.

Never mind, they were all smiling at him and Victor holding hands.

"So... Looks like you both worked up the courage eh? Wish I could..." There was a quiet squeak from the backroom at Georgi's words, with a slightly more vocal reaction from Yuri up front.

"W-worked up? What do you mean, I-I don't understand Georgi." Minami peeked out from around the door again, desperately trying to hide his growing blush. The look he gave Yuri though told him everything he needed to know about the situation. He was head over heels in love with Yuri, and it seemed that he felt the same back.

"Yuratchka, you don't have to hide anything from us you know. We're here to support you." There's a pause as Victor pulls him further into the shop, his free hand resting on Yuri's shoulder, his own on the counter. A small hand rests on it and he's surprised momentarily as it registers that it's Yuri's, someone who wasn't big on physical contact with most people.

"I've already said this to Georgi but... I'd like you to meet my boyfriend Kenjirou Minami." His voice trembled as he squeezed his hand reassuringly, Minami seemingly floating over with all the grace of a skater.

"Well I'm glad you finally felt comfortable Yuri. Doesn't mean that you're getting out of tomorrow's coffee run though!" Yuri's groan cut him off, as did Minami's giggles at his reaction. "It just means that you're picking up an extra coffee for Minami here."

As they laughed and passed around Victor's latest homemade pastry, Yuuri felt like himself once more.

Later that night, as him and Victor lay in each other's arms, curled up under the duvet, he whispered to himself: "I'm nobody compared to you."

Victor squeezed his hand and whispered back: "To me, you are everything."

 


End file.
